[Annotated & Manuscript Scores:] Double Concerto in D minor for Two Solo Violins, Strings & Organ, Organ part [BMV 1043]; Prologue to the Opera 'Pagliacci' [2 vols].

Bookseller Notes

Two scores, the first, a manuscript arrangement part, the second, an annotated conducting copy, belonging to the illustrious Henry Wood, organist, orchestrator and co-founder of the Proms, both illustrating his constant endeavour, to popularise and disseminate 'high art' music to a wider general public.His contribution to the re-discovery of Bach in the early twentieth century, both through programming and though his arrangements of the Baroque composer's works, was considerable, and though their reception amongst critics was mixed ('Not only is it bad, it is wrong' Frank Howes on his lavish orchestration) to the point where Wood, at one point, assumed an arranging pseudonym, they were warmly received by audiences. It is difficult to establish when (or even if) this arrangement was performed or published - the organ part is relatively spare and the work doesn't appear to be cited in any of Hannah French's articles and books on this subject.Wood's signed and annotated full score of the Pagliacci Prologue is of particular signficance, since this piece was performed on the first night of the very first Promenade concert, held at the Queen's Hall, Langham Place, on 10th August, 1895, with the Queen's Hall Orchestra directed by Robert Newman, the baritone part sung by David Ffrangcon-Davies who gave 'a most intelligent rendering of the Prologue from Pagliacci' according to The Observer published the following day. The review begins: 'If the succeeding concerts of the Promenade season inaugurated last night are as brilliantly successful as the first of the series, no one interested in the venture, either financially or artistically, will have reason to complain. The audience was an immense one, and both on the score of enthusiasm and discrimination did its duty.'